This 2013 musical drama starring Mark Ruffalo with 83% Rotten Tomatoes score will definitely add gems to your playlist

In 2013, Mark Ruffalo appeared in four films, including a brief cameo in Iron Man 3. But it was the musical comedy Begin Again that truly stole the spotlight. Alongside Ruffalo, Keira Knightley, Adam Levine, Hailee Steinfeld, and others brought to life characters that keep you captivated until the very end, especially if you’re an artist at heart. Yet, it was the film’s music that infused the story with energy, carrying audiences through every moment of its runtime.

The movie follows a struggling music producer, Dan Mulligan (Mark Ruffalo), who meets a singer-songwriter, Gretta James (Keira Knightley), and collaborates with her. More than collaboration, it's beautiful to see how these characters bond over music throughout the film.

As of this writing, the Mark Ruffalo film sits with an 83% score at the review aggregator platform Rotten Tomatoes. The audience score is close to it, 81%. The website's consensus reads,

"Writer-director John Carney's return to musical drama isn't quite as potent as it was with Once, but thanks to charming work from its well-matched leads, Begin Again is difficult to resist."

That is one of several reasons to add this gem of a film to your weekend watchlist.

A list of Begin Again's music

The movie’s soundtrack, including the Deluxe edition, features 16 tracks performed by a diverse lineup of artists, including Adam Levine, CeeLo Green, Keira Knightley, and the Cessyl Orchestra. You can find the list below.

Lost Stars (Male Version)
Tell Me If You Wanna Go Home
No One Else Like You
Horny
Lost Stars (Female version)
A Higher Place
Like a Fool
Did It Ever Cross Your Mind (Demo Version)
Women of the World (Go on Strike!)
Coming Up Roses
Into the Trance
A Step You Can't Take Back

The Deluxe edition had four more tracks, including

Lost Stars (Into the Night Mix)
The Roof Is Broke (Demo Mix)
Tell Me If You Wanna Go Home (Roof Top Mix)
Intimidated by You

Lost Stars was nominated for the Best Original Song at the 87th Academy Awards but lost to Glory from Ava DuVernay's Selma (2014).

What is the film about?

Begin Again is about falling, and, as the title suggests, finding the courage to start over. But at its heart, it’s also a story of how music can save lives. Interestingly, this theme was even reflected in its original title, Can a Song Save Your Life?, which the film carried during its premiere at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.

It begins with Mark Ruffalo's Dan, who used to be a successful record label executive and is now trying to keep up with a changing industry. We see his life going downwards only, but music is what he lives for, and that's what keeps him going.

Mark Ruffalo and Keira Knightley's characters cross their paths a bit later in the film and become, sort of, a support for each other. But more importantly, music is one stage supporting them both.

There's this scene in the movie where both characters use a headphone splitter to listen to each other's playlists. Mark Ruffalo's dialogue here is something that music lovers will agree with, too. He says